CJEM Visual Abstract – Just the facts: POCUS assessment for deep vein thrombosis

In Infographics by Samuel WilsonLeave a Comment

In this issue, we collaborated with the CJEM team to present “Just the facts: POCUS assessment for deep vein thrombosis”​1​ in a visual abstract format.

Deep vein thrombosis is a diagnosis that can be notoriously difficult to risk stratify and diagnose in a timely manner in the ED. There are multiple contributing factors, including variability of presentation and the availability of timely ultrasound (the mainstay of diagnosis). POCUS for deep vein thrombosis has emerged as a novel method of aiding diagnosis in the ED. Dr. Gottlieb (a FOAMed and POCUS expert) et al provide us with a summary of POCUS evidence for DVT. They also examine the role of each deep vein and how is compares to comprehensive radiology performed ultrasound. Questions many ED physicians face performing this scan are explored: “when have I scanned enough?”, “is D-dimer still useful with POCUS?”, and “which vessels are DVT most commonly seen in?”

We strongly encourage you to read the short article itself if any of these questions apply to you:

  1. How accurate is point-of-care ultrasound versus comprehensive radiologic ultrasound for diagnosing a DVT?
  2. Should I use the two-region or three-region technique for DVT ultrasound?
  3. What is the role of POCUS for diagnosing iliac vein thrombosis?
  4. What is the role of POCUS for diagnosing calf vein thrombosis?
  5. What is the role for D-dimer and repeat imaging among patients with a negative POCUS exam for DVT?

Overall, these simple tips can help you be more confident and more efficient in ruling in, or out, a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis in the ED. You can find a .pdf version of the infographic below.

CJEM visual abstract
  1. 1.
    Gottlieb M, Johnson J, Van Diepen K, Atkinson P. Just the facts: POCUS assessment for deep venous thrombosis. Can J Emerg Med. Published online November 17, 2022. doi:10.1007/s43678-022-00410-0
Samuel Wilson

Samuel Wilson

Sam is a third-year Emergency Medicine FRCPC resident at The Ottawa Hospital. He is the CanadiEM/CJEM Infographic editor, interested in PoCUS, trauma, knowledge dissemination, and all things chess.